Despite growing cyber security knowledge, the annual increase in successful cyber assaults remains unabated. A study found that the number of compromised records increased by 164% from the final six months of 2016 to the first six months of 2017, totaling about 1.9 billion.
With the proliferation of threats like botnets and ransomware, as well as the increasing sophistication of phishing schemes, many businesses are finding it difficult to keep sensitive information safe. Click here for more on phishing schemes.
For every business hoping to reduce the likelihood of a data breach, establishing clear visibility over your possible attack surfaces and collecting trustworthy information about risks is an essential first step. It is not well known that the dark web may be a source of useful threat information.
The dark web, in contrast to the deep web, consists mostly of resources that can only be accessed via the use of anonymizing technologies like Tor. People living under oppressive regimes utilize it, but it’s also home to sites that sell narcotics, guns, and stolen information. Tools and guides on how to steal private information by taking advantage of particular vulnerabilities are also available.
If a hacker breaks into your company and steals customer information or a dissatisfied employee tries to sell intellectual property, they will likely post it on the dark web. It follows that keeping an eye on the dark web may help you improve security and spot potential holes.
You shouldn’t wait for a cyberattack to take place. Take control of your data and company information, and reach out to a group who specializes in deep web intelligence. They can help you secure your information and work on a deep web threat intelligence plan that will protect the vital information you don’t want slipping into the hands of hackers.
The cybercrime arms race
Many cybersecurity experts are falling behind in the fight against hackers to close vulnerabilities before they are exploited. Interesting data from Recorded Future shows that most vulnerabilities (75%) are publicized online at least seven days before they are included to the Nationwide Vulnerability Database (NVD). For cybercriminals, that’s a huge head start.
Close the mitigation gap by keeping an eye on the number of reports of vulnerabilities and the number of exploits being developed for sale on the dark web. InfoSec professionals may concentrate on vulnerability management and fast patching since they have the same information as cybercriminals.
It’s possible that shady workers or those looking to hire insiders might be uncovered by monitoring the dark web. According to an in-depth study, the dark web is being used to aggressively recruit an increasing number of insiders. In addition to keeping a watch on the dark web, it may be wise to keep a check on internal employee behavior and use anomaly detection to identify problematic conduct.
Tracking the Deep Web
Although it may be difficult, you should attempt to determine whether your personal information is being traded on the dark web. Contrary to popular belief, the deep web (https://www.webopedia.com/definitions/invisible-web/) is not an infinite resource. Some options to think about are as follows:
- Keep an eye out for references to your business, employees’ names and email addresses, and valuable assets.
- Look for information that relates to your business, the software you use, and the industry as a whole.
- Make an effort to keep an eye out for anyone who attempts to sneak into restricted areas.
- Get a company or software license to keep an eye on the dark web for you.
Expectedly, the dark web is shrouded in mystery, with many forums inaccessible to anyone without special expertise. It might be challenging and time-consuming to go through all the data and find useful insight. That’s why there’s been a recent proliferation of firms and researchers on the dark web offering intel reports for a price.
Hiring specialists and doing one’s own research on the dark web may assist in eliminating threats more quickly than relying on a third party, but such specialists are in limited supply. Dark web monitoring, in whatever form you decide upon, is a prudent step that may aid in the collection of actionable threat information and the fortification of cybersecurity defenses.
